Adjustable and removable targets on a game board



p 2, 1969 1.. DOLLAR 3,464,699

ADJUSTABLE AND REMOVABLE TARGETS ON A GAME BOARD Filed March 22. 1967 160 i ll, 5'

T2 t, O L 24 90 @m w l llw n I & INVENTOR: 5 MELVIN L. DOLLAR V W flda 3,464,699 ADJUSTABLE AND REMOVABLE TARGETS ON A GAME BOARD Melvin L. Dollar, Silver Spring, Md., assignor of one-half to Delores A. Dollar, Silver Spring, Md. Filed Mar. 22, 1967, Ser. No. 625,208 Int. Cl. A63f 7/00; A63d 3/00, 13/00 US. Cl. 273118 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plurality of target members adjustably positioned on a playing surface so that when a projectile is propelled along the surface to impact one of the target members, it may rebound to impact the other target members in a predetermined succession. Means are provided for retaining the target members in an adjusted position, and for indicating the opsition to which they have been adjusted, each relative to another. The means to hold the targets in their adjusted position may be a frictional fit of the target support with the playing surface or a magnetic attraction between the support and playing surface. The position indicating device may be indicia, as in a protractor, on the playing surface or a compass in the adjustable target. There are also filler plugs that can be removably placed flush in the target support sockets when the targets are removed.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in games of the general type employing a surface projectile and a plurality of targets, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a simple but highly entertaining game of this type in which the projectile may be propelled to impact one of the targets and rebound therefrom to impact the other targets in a predetermined succession, the targets being adjustable relative to one another so that a substantial amount of skill and dexterity is involved in playing the game.

While it is known in the art to provide a plurality of targets for a surface projectile, and while it is also known to rebound a projectile off some abutment so as to strike a target, in such conventional games the projectile is usually aimed at one particular target at one time and other targets such as may be present do not become involved directly in that particular shot or play. By contrast, the present invention provides a plurality of targets arranged so that in a single shot, the projectile may strike all of them in succession, the object of the game being to hit all the targets, or at least as many of them as possible, with a single shot of the projectile.

Moreover, the targets in the game of the invention are adjustably positioned on the playing surface so as to rebound the projectile in different directions, this adjustability permitting each player to set the targets according to his or her own discretion or calculations in an effort to attain the object of the game by hitting as many targets as possible with one shot.

Also, the invention provides a variety of different locations on the playing surface where the targets may be selectively positioned, so that with different targets at different locations, and with adjustability of the targets to rebound a projectile in different directions, there is afforded a virtually endless variety of possible target combinations and sequences in which the targets may be hit.

As another of its features, the invention provides means for visually indicating how the targets have been adjusted or set with respect to one another and to the playing surface, so as to assist each player in setting the targets according to his or her own particular choice.

States Patent 0 ice The game apparatus of the invention is simple in construction, durable, highly entertaining in operation, and lends itself to convenient and economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the target game apparatus of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of one of the target members;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified target member;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional detail, similar to that shown in FIGURE 3 but illustrating the target member of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view showing another modified form of target member;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in the plane of the line 8-8 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View showing another modified embodiment; and

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of another modified embodiment of the target members.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the target game apparatus of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 and embodies in its construction a substantially horizontal playing surface 11 constituted by the upper surface of a game board 12 which may be formed from wood, plastic, cardboard, or any other suitable material. The game board 12 may be rectangular as shown, although not necessarily so, and is provided at all but one of its side edges with an upstanding flange or rim 13, so that a projectile 14 which is movable on the playing surface 11 of the game board, is prevented from leaving the same. Preferably, the upstanding rim 13 is omitted at one side edge of the game board, as illustrated in the left-hand portion of FIGS. 1 and 2, so that the rim does not interfere with hand launching of the projectile toward the target members T1, T2, T3, T4, which may collectively be referred to as the target members T.

Any suitable number of such target members may be provided, four being shown in the drawing for illustrative purposes only. Each target member T comprises a blockshaped body of wood, plastic, metal, or other suitable material, and, as shown in FIG. 4, the target member body is substantially semicylindrical, having a rounded side face 15 and a flat side face 16. The body also has an integral, depending keeper pin 17 at the underside thereof, which pin is adapted to be removably and frictionally fitted into any one of a plurality of sockets or apertures 18 provided at dilferent locations in the game board 12. It will be apparent that by virtue of this arrangement any one of the several target members may be installed at any one of the various locations on the game board where the sockets 18 are provided and, moreover, each of the target members may be adjustably rotated or set so that its side faces 15, 16 are oriented in selected directions with respect to other target members and to the game board.

In order to accommodate the keeper pin 17, the flat face 16 of each target member is laterally offset from the actual diameter of the target member body, as will be apparent from FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. However, if desired, the flat face 16 may be coplanar with the body diameter as shown in the modified embodiment of the target member Tml in FIGS. and 6, in which event the keeper pin 17 will protrude beyond the face 16, as illustrated. In either event, means are provided for visually indicating the position to which each target member has been set or adjusted on the game board, so that the relationship of its faces 15, 16 relative to the other target members may be easily determined. These indicating means comprise protractor-like indicia 19 suitably marked on the playing surface 11 in concentric relation with the sockets 18 so that in the instance of the target members Tml which have the flat faces 16 at their diameter, the setting of each target member may be readily determined by the position of the face 16 relative to the protractor-like indicia 19. In the instance of the target members T which have the flat face 16 offset from their diameter, such members may be provided at the top thereof with diametric or diametrically opposed arrows 20' for cooperation with the protractor-like indicia 19, as will be readily apparent. It may be noted that while the indicia 19 in FIG. 1 have been shown only around the sockets in which the target members T are located, such indicia manifestly are provided around each of the several sockets 18 with which the game board is equipped.

It will be also apparent from the foregoing that the number of the sockets 18 provided in the game board preferably exceeds the number of the target members T (or Tml), so that the target members may be selectively located in sockets at various positions on the game board. Thus, at any given time some of the sockets are not in use, and to prevent such empty sockets from interfering with smooth movement of the projectile 14 over the playing surface 11, the empty sockets may be closed by removable filler plugs 21, as indicated in FIG. 8.

The projectile 14, although shown as a ball or sphere, may have a flat disc form and may be made of any suitable material, either hard or somewhat resilient. Also, while in the illustrated arrangement the projectile is intended to be thrown or launched by hand, it may be impelled by means such as a cue stick or a club, or it may be launched or thrown by a mechanical projector device.

In any event, when the game is played by one, two or more players, the target members T are positioned in certain of the sockets 18 and each player, before taking a shot, is given an opportunity to adjust the several targets by choice, calculation or otherwise, with respect to the protractor indicia 19, so that the targets are oriented to the players satisfaction and effort to hit as many of the targets as possible by a single throw of the projectile. Thus, with the projectile in the starting position as shown in FIG. 1, a player may roll or slide the projectile 14 along the playing surface 11 toward the target member T1 as indicated by the dotted line 22, causing the projectile to impact the flat surface 16 of the target member T1 and to rebound therefrom as indicated by the dotted line 23 to the target member T2, from which the projectile may rebound as at 24 to the target member T3, and then as at 25 to the target member T4. Theoretically, by analogy to rays of light, the angle of incidence of a projectile moving toward the target will be the same as the angle of reflection of the projectile bounced OK the target, and it is primarily with this in mind that the protractor indicia 19 are provided so that the player may have some theoretical assistance in selecting suitable target adjustments and an appropriate direction of the initial throw of the projectile, in an eifort to attain his goal.

However, in actual practice there are many variables which make that goal difiicult to attain, as for example, miscalculating settings of the targets, making the initial throw of the projectile at an incorrect angle, directing the projectile more to one side rather than toward the approximate center of the target, not impelling the projectile with suflicient force to strike several of the targets in succession, and so on. These variables, in combination with the adjustability of the targets themselves, provide for a highly interesting game of skill, the fascination of which may be increased even further by employing targets of different shapes at different locations, as will be hereinafter described.

The score of each player may be kept simply by noting the number of targets hit in succession by a single throw of the projectile, that is to say, if the projectile hits only two targets T1 and T2, the score is 2 and if it hits all four targets T1, T2, T3 and T4, the score is 4. Alternatively, the targets may have different values, for example, progressively increasing values such as 1, 2, 3 and 4, so that if the targets T1 and T2 are hit, the score is 3 and if all four targets are hit the score is 10.

Further variations of the game are obtainable by placing the target members T or Tml at different locations of the sockets 18 in the game board, and by orienting the targets in different directions relative to one another. Thus, for example, after hitting the target T1, the projectile may be rebounded to the target T3 instead of the target T2, et cetera. Also, either the flat side face 16 or the round side face 15 of the targets may be used to rebound the projectile, either by the players choice or as agreed upon by the players for particular game or a particular phase of the game.

Target members of different shapes may also be employed, as shown for example in FIG. 7 wherein the target member Tm2 has a rounded or convex side face 15, a flat side face 16 and a concave side face 26, the various side faces being selectively usable.

It will be understood that the friction fit of the pins 17 in the sockets 18 is such as to hold the target members in their adjusted positions even if they should be hit off center by the projectile.

A somewhat modified embodiment shown in FIG. 9 utilizes a metallic game board 12a and target members Tn13 which may be made of plastic or the like, each target member having embedded in its lower portion a permanent magnet 27 for attraction to the metallic game board. In this manner the targetmembers Tm3 are held in their adjusted positions anywhere on the gameboard, without the use of the aforementioned keeper pins 17 and sockets 18.

Finally, FIG. 10 shows another modified embodiment of the target members, that is, suitably shaped target member Tm4 which is formed from suitable nonmagnetic material and carries in or on its upper surface a compass 28. Inasmuch as the compass needle points always in the same direction, the setting or adjustment of the target member may be readily determined, for example by observing the angular disposition of the fiat face 16 relative to the compass needle, so that the protractor-like indicia 19 as previously described need not be employed. Of course, the target member Tm4 is preferably held in position on the game board by a keeper pin, such as the pin 17 rather than by a magnet such as the magnet 27, since the presence of a magnet in the target member Tm4 would make the compass 28 unreliable.

It may be also pointed out that while the playing surface 11 of the game has been described as being constituted by the game board 12, the game may be of much larger proportions and may have its playing surface constituted by the ground or floor. Thus, for example, the players may walk on the playing surface and use a club for impelling the projectile, in the manner of a miniature golf game.

Accordingly, while in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a target game apparatus, the combination of a game board constituting a playing surface and provided at mutually spaced locations with a plurality of sockets, a projectile movable on said playing surface, a plurality of target members having depending keeper pins selectively adjustably and removably fitted in said sockets whereby the target members may be adjust-ably positioned at selected locations on the playing surface, said target members having side faces adapted to be impacted by said projectile moving in one direction so as to rebound the projectile in another direction, and the adjustment of said target members permiting said side faces thereof to be oriented relative to one another so that said projectile may impact the target members in a predetermined succession, and removable filler plugs selectively positioned in said sockets in exclusion of said keeper pins of the target members, said plugs being flush with the playing surface of said game board.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with means for indicating an adjusted position of each target member relative to another.

3. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said keeper pins of said target members are frictionally fitted in said sockets whereby to retain the target members in an adjusted position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 450,883 4/1891 Davey 273-39 980,312 1/1911 Maunders 273-118 2,571,521 10/1951 Barnhart 273-120 2,841,398 7/1958 Conner 273-l27 X 3,175,825 3/1965 Ehret 273120 X FOREIGN PATENTS 18,850 10/ 1892 Great Britain. 782,700 3/ 1935 France.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273-127 

